Keos

Keos, now known as Kea, is a Greek island in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Keos is the closest Cyclades gateway to mainland Greece, located across the Keas Strait from the Attica peninsula. During the 5th century BC, its economy relied on fishing, and the island was thrown into anarchy when the pirate crew of Xenia took over the capital of Koressia; the surrounding islands were nicknamed the "Pirate Islands" due to the pirate takeover. The pirates burned down Koressia and had every inhabitant above the age of 60 drink hemlock poison to reduce the population and decrease the effects of the food shortage. In 431 BC, Athens conquered the other half of the island from Sparta following the naval battle of Keos. Keos, often a forgotten-about island, was rediscovered by Athenians as a convenient destination for weekend and yachting trips during the 21st century. In 2011, Keos had a population of 2,455 people.